Delayed Love
by Mione-Weasly
Summary: Harry's mission to rid the wizarding world of Death Eaters left Ginny feeling secound best. How will he feel when he sees her again five years later hand in hand with a small boy whos messy black hair and starteling green eyes are awfully familiar?
1. Default Chapter

chapter one: Not Compleatly Alone  
  
Ginny read the letter in disbelife as Hedwig perched proudly on her bed post. She had neve belived tht Harry Potter, her first love, her knight in shinning armor, the one she wanted for all time, could do thid to her.  
'Dear Ginny,  
I know this is rather  
sudden, but I have been called   
the Ministry for work in Egypt.  
It is going to be a while, we   
may need to postpone our wedding.  
Till I return  
Harry'  
She sucked in a deep breath, since the defeate of the Dark Lord, Harry had been working double time trying to round up and imprison the remaining Death Eaters. She had stood aside and let him do what he needed to do just as her mother had told her, but this was the last time she could postpone her wedding. Did he expect her to delay her life until he was ready?   
She sniggered loudly as she thought o a letter she might resive from him in the delivery room:  
'Love,  
Is it possible that you  
could hold off on giving birth   
to my child? I think our neighbor  
may be practacing dark arts.'  
  
Sucking in her breath, she took the quill from her desk and jotted on the back of the parchment:  
'Harry,  
Do not bother about our   
wedding. It will not be going on  
due to the fact that there is   
never an appropriate time for you   
to even be in this country.  
Ginny'  
Hedwig flew out the window, her wings beat beautifully aginst the clear blue of the sky outside her window. Ginny let out a loud breath, her life as she had planned it, would never exsist.  
Packing her things into a large bag, she rehearsed the speech she knew would rock her family."Looks like we're on our own now, huh Poppet?" She placed her hand on her slightly protruding belly. At least she was not compleatly alone. 


	2. You never know what you miss

"'Lo Ron," Harry clapped his best friend on the back and took a seat across from him at a back table in The Leaky Couldron.  
"'Lo," Ron said, lifting his crimson head. The droopy look in his eyes told Harry without words that he and Hermione had had yet another row and he was about to launch into a full out explination as to why he didn't understand what it was about her that made him stay.  
"What has happened this time, mate?" Harry asked bracing for the storm.  
"Hermione is pregnant." Ron said flatly and Harry almost fell out of his chair.  
"Well that's wounderful isn't it?" Harry eyed Ron with growing suspision.  
"Oh yea, thats magnificent. The problem is, well I have to go back to the road and I'm not sure how to tell her." He sighed heavily, Ron now played keeper for the Kenmar Kestrals, "She will be really lit if she knew I was going to be gone her whole pregnancy."  
"Ron, you bloody git, why don't you just take the apperation test? You can be home every night and Hermione wont be alone." After failing the test the three times, Ron had given up not wanting to be spliched, but now with insintive, maybe he could pass.  
"Oh, right. Merlin's beard have I been a prat! Thanks Harry. Hemione will be thrilled now!" Ron spead put of pub almost knocking over a hag, who tuned and shook her fist at him.  
Harry paid his old friend Neville and left the pub. He walked out and tapped the brick that lead him to his favorite place in the whole wizzarding world, Diagon Alley.  
Having not been anywhere near this magical street in five years, he felt for the first time that his leave of absence from the Minstry was a good thing. Alastor's aged face came into his mind and he smiled to himself as he heard the old man's voice, "You'll remember what you miss when you see it again."   
Harry stepped into Quality Quiddish supplies and felt the impact of Alastor's words harder than he had yet. Ginny Weasly turned arround just as he entered,her honey glazed eyes locked on his. 


	3. My Child?

Chapter three: My child?  
  
Harry crossed the small store and stoped just in front of her, her long ginger hair was gone, replaced be a shorter, more stylish cut."what have you done to your hair?" he asked hoping to make this easier.  
She looked offended,"Five years apart and all you can say is 'What have you done to your hair?' Come on Harry, there had to be something more than that to be said?"  
"Sorry," He smiled his favorite smile, it was a grin that had persuaded her along with numerous other girls into his bed."Just trying to brake the ice."  
  
Ginny felt her heart flip flop for the second time since he had enterd the store. His smile had always done fluttery things to her insides. She scanned arround behind him for her son, insuring that Harry nor Hayden could see each other.   
Though it had torn her in half to walk away from Harry those years ago, she had managed a stable life. Working for the Department of Magical Education she had ensured a place for her son at Hogwarts and had even begun training to become a teacher there in the future. She knew that if young Hayden, who looked entierly too much like his hansome father, saw Harry, all the stability she had worked for would turn on its ear.  
"WHy so quiet? You here with someone? Malfoy, perhaps?" Harry's voice shot into her thoughts, a trace of bitterness ran in it.  
Though his father was a Death Eater, Draco had chosen the side of good. He had even been a spy for a while leading to the capture of his father and two other highly ranked Death Eaters. Harry still hated him though because he had dated Ginny.  
"Don't be daft!" She smiled coyly,"Draco and I may have dated once or twice, but I can assure you that we are very much over." The truth was that Draco had been in love with her, and had loved Hayden as well, but Ginny had thought it unfair to him as well as Harry to fallow through and marry him. First because she did not love him, and second, because she would not be able to allow a man Harry hated to raise his child.   
At that moment a loud crash sounded behind Harry and the shop keeper screamed."You insufferable child! Look what you have done to my display! Where are your paremts? I want you out!"  
Minets later the store manager, led by a very downcast looking black haired boy, approached them and Ginny's face took on three emotions in a milisecond; fear, shock, and anger."Are you this child's mother?" the burly woman growled.  
Ginny squared her shoulders,"Yes I am, what has happened?" Harry watched as she took the hand of the small boy and glared at the woman.  
"He has just knocked over my emtire display of practice snitches!" A small golden ball zoomed in front of Harry's nose and he caught it in his right hand.  
"Oh, thank you sir,"The woman smiled at Harry, and turned back to Ginny,"If you please, Miss, how do you plan to compenstae me for the damage?"   
Ginny's honey gold eyes widened in indignation,"I will not pay one knut for anything in this store!" She whiped arround and pointed at the small boxes that scattered around the floor,"Aside from knocking down your silly tower, my son has not damaged any merchandice! I will, however, have him help you rearange it. If you have anything to say about it, you may contact The Department of Magical Law inforcement. I can assure you that they will agree you are over reacting."  
In the years he had known her, Harry had never once seen Ginny get angry without flushing a deep shade of scarlet, but as she defended her small son, she managed to spit fire without raising her voice and make a threat without hinting there was one.Harry smiled to himself when she mentioned the Ministry Department Percy Weasly was now the head of.  
"No, there is no need to involve the officials. Perhaps you and your son would just vacate my shop and all will be settled?" The woman shrunk back in what seemed like fear.  
"Yes, that will work all round." Ginny turned on her heel and led her young son out the door. She had forgotten about Harry who was now chaseing her.  
"Ginny! Ginny! Wait up!" He made his way through the crowd just in time to see Ginny enter Three Broomsticks.  
Crossing the street he quickly fallowed her inside and spotted her sitting at his, Hermione, and Ron's old table. Madam Rosmerta, the knindly owner of the cafe, smiled and took the hand of the small boy and led him around to the bar with her. "Perfect," Harry muttered under his breath and sped through the tables toward his former love. Taking a seat in front of her, he waited until she looked up at him. When the molten gold of her eyes met the boiling emeralds that were his, he said simply,"Is he my child?"  
  
A/n: This is my first ff, and I reall like it. this chapter is not one of my best I think, but it is longer. Thanx for all the great reviews. I'm glad you like it! Much Love to all my readers  
Mione-Weasly 


	4. Married!?

Chapter four: Married!?  
  
Ginny stared at Harry, jaw touching the table. He reached across and closed her mouth, "No need to bother with the actually stating that he is my son, of that I am certain, yet many questions are buzzing arround my head and they need some answers."  
She took a deep breath and narrowed her gaze at him,"If you have already deducted the truth, what could there be laft to ask?"  
"Oh, don't be a prat Verginia Weasly! You know damn well what needs to ba answerd!" many patrons turned to look at them and Harry sighed,"Though perhaps not here. Meet me tonight at the bridge, we will sort it out then. For now, I would like you to introduce me to my son. Madam Rosmerta is leading him this way."  
Ginny's head was spinning, and Hayden was closing in. What do I say to him? 'Hayden darling, meet your father.'   
Never.  
Hayden was too young to understand, it would be to confusing.  
"Bless my soul," Madam Rosmerta grined cheekily at Harry,"Never thought I'd see the day when Harry Potter would be sittin in my establishment with a Weasly again. Of course this is deffinatly the wrong Weasly." She chuckled warmly.  
"Whoa, your Harry Potter? Oh man. My uncle always tells me stories about you! He says your his best friend and you did everything together at Hogwats!" Hayden shouted enthusiastically.  
"Hog-warts, Honey. Harry this is Hayden; Hayden, you obviously know Harry." Ginny looked over at Harry and swore she saw what looked like tears in his dazzeling eyes. A fist clenched arround her heart when it hit that she was the cause of the pain those tears reflected.  
"Your uncle must be Ron, huh? Yea, he is some best friend alright." Harry shot her a look that clearly said,'Why?' and she turned away. She couldn't look at him any longer.   
  
"Hayden, honey, I hate to tare you away, but you know Granny is waiting for you. See you later Harry." Ginny led her son out of the tavern tears running silently down her face.  
  
*Pop* Harry apperated into Ron and Hermione's flat just outside of Hogsmead.   
"What the devil are you doing here? Are you mad?" Ron bellowed from the dinner table.  
"Why didn't you tell me that Ginny had a son? More importantly, that Ginny had My son!?" Harry bellowed back.  
"Oh dear." Hermione said fallowing Ron into the livingroom where Harry stood fuming.  
"Well, you stupid git, if you had come back after that letter, you would have known. But since you didn't turn up, well, she asked me not to. She is my sister." Ron told him more calmly. Sometime during their fith year at Hogwarts, he had lerned to control his temper.  
Harry fell backwards onto the couch and sighed, he had spent most of the day in his room at The Leaky Cauldron crying like a baby over the dicovery of his son."I know, but couldn't you have hinted that I should return, huh?"  
"No, that would have been betraying her trust. I love Hayden too much to piss off his irratable mum. You know her temper Harry."  
"Hayden. I like it. He seem very smart. You told him about me?" Harry asked more calmly.  
"Of course I did. I was not above making her feel guilty. And he is very smart. he seems to have gotten Hermione's brains, though I can't see how." Ron chuckled and kissed his wife.  
"Harry," Hermione said soothingly,"What do you plan to do?"  
"I have a meeting with Ginny tonight. We'll just have to get married."  
"Married!?" Ron wailed.  
"Oh Harry, she'll never agree. She'll know you don't really want to. She wont enter a loveless marrage." Hermione told him forcefully. She an Ginny had become best girl friends in her fourth year and she knew her better than any of her family.  
"Then I'll just have to convince her that it's not loveless, wont I?" With that, he stood up and *Pop* he diaperated.  
"Do you think he still loves her?" Hermione asked Ron suspisiously.  
"I know he does, but he'll never admit it."   
A/n: I was feelin creative, so I wrote this chapter too. I know you think that Harry just said that he loved Ginny, but its not what you think.  
I know that the R rating seems a little, well, stupid. But I promis thigs will heat up!  
Mione-Weasly 


	5. Disclaimer

disclaimer:  
I forgot to write thease on the previous chapters and will continue to do so as I add more. If you can't tell me, sophmore soon to be junior amature writer, from the talented and wonderful Ms. J.K. Rowling, then I'll take it as a compliment. However as much as I would like to take credit for the Harry Potter Mania that has swept the world, I can't. Thank you all for this wasted time and space, but now I can at least say its, here right? the only people in this story that I actually own are the ones you've never seen mentioned in any of the four(soon to be five) Harry Potter books(ie: Hayden)  
Also, any slightly odd spellings are indeed mine. Hello. I am Mione-Weasly, and I have a spelling problem.  
Thank you again for this waste of your presious time and support in my career as a character thief and amature writer.  
(The above is a joke/serious disclaimer. All of the afformentioned items that I do not own are property of J.K. Rowling and whoever she shares them with) 


	6. For our son

Chapter five: For Our son?  
  
Ginny stood on the rickety brige over the stream that ran just behind Hogsmeade. She had been here for hours, since she droped Hayden off at her mothers, just thinking about the emotional battle that was sure to happen in the next few days.   
She ran her hand along the splintery wood. This bridge had been her's and Harry's spot. The location of all the important events of their lifves together. It was the spot that Harry had asked her to be his girlfriend when she was in her fourth year. The place where they had first kissed, where she had told him she was ready to make love to him the first time, and the magical spot where he had proposed to her. Her entire life had happened there, it had even been where she planned to tell Harry that she was pregnant.  
She shut her eyes tightly to blink away the tears, that part of her life was dead. Burried. Over.  
  
*Pop* Harry apperated a few meters away from the bridge. Why did he have to pick this spot? The Leaky Cauldron would have been much better, there was no emotional attatchment there. Ah well.To late now.  
He strode forward and he could see that her head was bent down, her hair was pulled up in a messy bun exposing her graceful neck. He recalled how smooth her skin was, like satin. A flash of memories ran through his mind, the grion stiffening memories that had plauged him for the past five years.  
""Are you sure you are ready?" Harry asked nevously, fumbleing with her robes.  
"I am, I am." Ginny repeated nervously. He planted warm kisses down the collumn of her elegent neck, fighting to remain in control as she moaned his name in a husky wisper,"Harry...""  
Harry shook himself free of the mind numbing flashback before it could do anymore damage to his already hurting heart. He continued on toward Ginny and she must have heard him, because she tirned around slowly.  
The mahogany sunset behind her created a spectacular compliment to her fiery hair,"H-hello," Harry stamerd, taken aback by the beauty that stood before him.  
"Hi, so I guess you must have some questions, huh?" Ginny stared at him,she had always hated small talk, and she wouldn't make any. He didn't respond. "This is the time when you ask them, Harry"  
"I know," He said surfasing from his shock,"I just don't know where to start. I guess, well, what is his whole name?"  
"Hayden James Weasly. I thought James. I couldn't give him your name. It would have been too hard." She felt the tears pang up in the back of her eyes, she wanted to shout,'Why didn't you come back!? Why didn't you love me enough to leave Egypt and come to me!?'  
"Thank you." Harry having living memories of his father, was greatful that Ginny had rememberd to include him. "Does he know I am his father yet?"  
"No. Would be confused. He is only four, I am going to have to explane it carefully. However you will be proud to know that he speaks wounderfully, as you saw, and is extreamly intellegent; that is mostly Percy and Hermione's doing. Also, he knows quiditch inside and out and is determined to play just like his uncle Ron."Ginny and Harry smiled together, she knew the fact that Hayden liked something that Harry liked would make it easier so form a relationship.  
"Why?"  
"You know why Harry."  
"If I did, would I ask?'Harry knew he had always been a bit thick, but Ginny never ceased to baffel him.  
"You postponed our wedding three times Harry. I couldn't take it anylonger. Not knowing where you were or what you were doing was driving me mad. I couldn't bring my child into that. It wouldn't have been fair to Hayden, never knowing when his Daddy would return. I've given him a stable life, no diapointments, no real fear. You and I wouldn't have worked out anyway. If we were ment to be, you would have come back." She finnished felling much less guilty than she had at Three Broomsticks. She had only been protecting her child. She had every right to do theat, right?  
"Well I'm here now, and I want to be around my son. I have been given a leave from the Ministry with the option never to return. I want him to have my name as well, so I have come up with a soultion." Harry took on his Auror buisness voice before he spoke again, "I propose we get married." Ginny opened her mouth to protest but he held up his hand,"I understand that you do not wish to enter a loveless marrage, but this one in nothing of the sort. As we both love our son, I'd say that there is love. Granted this is binding, but it need not be forever, just till he finishes his schooling, we could even live in seperate houses during the terms so as not to be to cramped."   
Ginny stared at him, hurt welling up inside her. If he had come to her and said 'I'm sorry I was a prat, please take me back and let me love you and Hayden,'she would have fallen into his arms and never looked back, but what he was asking her to do now would tear her heart in two.   
Harry's eyes pleaded with hers,"Please Ginny, I have already lost four years of his life."  
Ginny fixed her gaze on a flower that was moving along the current of the stream, then turned back to Harry,"Ok, until he graduates."   
She felt a tiny peice of her heart break, and she knew that she would lose another peice everyday until Hayden graduated from Hogwarts in fourteen years. 


	7. Again!?

Chapter six: Again!?  
  
"Hello..? Is anyone here?" Ginny called as she walked into her parents house the next day.  
"Just me darling, your mother has taken Hayden out for a little de-knomeing." Her father, Arthur, told her from his couch. "I do wish that she wouls lighten up on them, they don't hurt anything."   
"Oh dad, you know she'll never let them get up in numbers like you would. If it is ok with you, I'd like to call a meeting here with the family. I have some news." Ginny knew her father loved to have the family together, but the last time she had called a meeting it had been to announce that she was pregnant, and alone.  
"Oh dear. Well go ahead." He pointed to the fireplace and she crossed to it.  
She bent down and threw in a pink tablet,"Percy Weasly," She said loudly and stuck her head into the pink flames.  
Her face appeared in the fireplace of a very large house and she was Penelope walk by, "Penny!" She shouted.  
"Oh, Ginny, what are you up to?" Penny bent down to face her just as a stampeed of five small children scurried past her.  
Percy and Penny had decided that they had had enough childern after having Gerald and Eloise, but had added triplets on accedent three years ago. Will, Kate, and Percy Jr. were, much to their father'd dismay, exactly like their twin uncles.  
"I need you and Percy to call Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie and tell them, this goes for you too, to meet here at Mum and Dad's in about an hour. I have something to tell everyone." Ginny instructed her now frowning sister-in-law.  
"What have you done now?" Ginny heard her say as she pulled her head out of the fire.  
Tossing in another pink tablet, she said loudly,"Ron Weasly."  
"Oi! Ginny? What are you doing here?" I'll have you know harry was by here about an hour or so ago and layed into me about Hayden. See what I get for being a good brother? Don't you ever tell me I never did aything for you again!" Ron took a seat in front of her.  
"I know, thank you. I need you and Hermione to get over here pronto, I have somthing to tell you all." Ginny pulled her head out of the fire. She squaired her shoulders and marched to the back door,"Hayden, darling, I need to speak with you."  
"Ok, mum!" He sped across the lawn on his toy broomstick and landed in front of her. "Whattaya need?" he asked smiling brightly.  
"I need to share a secrate with you, about Harry Potter." She watched his eyes brighten."Fallow me," She led him to her old room and sat him down on her bed."Do you ever wonder about your daddy?"  
"Er, like why Finn and Lara have uncle Bill, and Cleyton and Sue have Uncle Charlie, and Everyone has uncle Percey,"Ginny sniggered at Hayden's refrance to all five of Percy's children."Yea, I wounder why I don't have one."  
"How would you feel if you could meet your's?"Ginny asked slowly.  
"You mean it? When?" Hayden slid off the bed and stood in front of her.  
"How about if I told you that you already have, and that you daddy is Harry Potter?"  
"But why didn't he say anything then?" Hayden's green eyes shadowed with question.  
"He was worried because you didn't know, but now, he wants us to be a family, will you be ok with that?"Ginny was surprised at how well he was understanding. She felt her chest swell with pride, but it was deflated by his next comment.  
"Whatever, I wont have to move right? I like living next door to Lee Jr."  
She smiled,no matter how well he read, or how much time Hermione spent teaching him about everything under the sun while she baby-sat him, Hayden was still definatly four years old.  
  
  
The Weasly clan gathered around the larch back yard sitting on bushes Hermione had transfigured into fluffy chairs. The dhildren, who had all brought their broomsticks, were playing a game of quiddich on the hill.  
"So, what is it this time? Have you decided to have another child?" Percy asked disapovingly. He had obviously been doing something he thought was very importatnt when she called.  
"No, I am not pregnant. The news I have is definatly better. I am getting married." She decided to just lay it out there.  
The Fred and George, who were sharing a large chair and had Angelina and Alicia on there lap stood up in identical motions, droppong their wives to the ground. Alicia, who was eight months pregnant, through a discusted look at George. Shouts of "To Whom!?" and "I didn't even know you were dating!?" and a furious Ron,"Better not be to that Slime Malfoy!" cought the attention of the children.  
Hayden, who had barrowed Ron's old firebolt, zoomed over."What's going on?" He asked Ginny.  
"I was trying to tell them your dad asked me to marry him, but they are to riled." She told him over the shouts. A small *Pop* sounded behind her and turned around.  
"Glad I wasn't invited to this little sware. Whats going on?" Harry smiled his knee weakening smile.  
"She is trying to tell them that you guys are getting married. How cool is it that you are my dad? It's weird that we just met at Rosie's yesterday too!"Hayden told Harry so exuberantly he fell off his broom.  
"Whoa there,"Harry caught him in his arms,"Yea, that is great."  
"They wont let me tell them that I am engaged to you. Ron had the gaul to suggest that I would marry Draco!" She told Harry over the continuing shouts of her family. They had all started making points about how she sprung too much on them,that this was her third engagement, and how they hoped she would finally settle down.  
"Hey!,"Harry called causing them all to turn in one motion,"She is engaged to me!"  
Silence.   
Then a collective look of confusion spread throughout the mass off people that formed the weasly family.  
Ginny imagined that she, her son, and Harry made for quite a site. The tears that seh had been fighting since she had accepted his proposal spilled over and she covered her face and turned her back to them. Hrry stood to her left, looking grim, and holding Hayden like a baby.  
A thunk sounded behind her and Harry swore, she felt a tug at her robes and turned to see Hayden. Imediatly when she looked at him, the tears in her eyes caused him to become afraid,"Why are you crying Mummy?" His eyes filled with tears as well and his small voice trembled.  
The Weasly clan, pluse Harry, watched as Ginny scooped Hayden into her arms and disapperated with a *Pop*.  
"Bloody hell, here we go again!" Ron   
shook his head grimly.  
"What do you mean,'Here we go again?'"Harry looked at his best friend.  
"Oh, dear." Mrs. Weasly sighed and walked toward Harry,"You may have seen the last of that one for a while." she took her husbands arm and walked with him in the direction of the house.   
Mr. weasly claped him on the back and gave him an regretful smile,"At least you tried son, we understand."  
"Sorry,Mate." Both Fred and Gorge frowned as Angelina and Alicia started to sob.  
Bill, Carlie, Percy, and their families all gave their condolences leaving Ron and Hermione sitting on a fluff staring at him. Looks of anger and pity on their faces.  
"What did you mean!?" Harry asked more forcefully.  
"Well mate, when she told us she was pregnant with Hayden, she burst into tears just like that and we didn't see her till that git Malfoy called us from St. Mungos." Ron said bitterly.  
"Damn." Harry paused,"Malfoy?" 


End file.
